Takoradi, Sept. 28, GNA 96 A circuit court at Takoradi on Thursday ordered Western Castings Limited, a company engaged in the installation of industrial plants to pay 500 million Cedis being part of its indebtedness to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) in respect of social security contributions deducted from the company workers' salaries.

The court, presided over by Mr George Koomson said the money, which was part of 1.4 billion cedi debt owed SSNIT between October 2003 and January 2005 must be paid before October 17, the next adjourned date. In default the company would be closed down and its assets

auctioned to settle its indebtedness being contributions of 353 workers. This was when four companies operating in the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan area appeared before the court charged with failing to pay workers' SSNIT contributions deducted from their salaries to the Trust. Western Casting Limited and the three others, Tadi Hotel, P&D Construction Company and General Development Limited, sawmill and Lumber Exports owed the Trust a total of about 3.7 billion cedis in respect of a total of 690 workers. Mr Christian Victor Wood-Ackom, SSNIT prosecutor, told the court that the companies had failed to settle their indebtedness in spite of several reminders. Nene Bessey I, Proprietor of Tadi Hotel, who was alleged to owe SSNIT about 20 million cedis over a period between January 2001 and May 2005, pleaded not guilty and would reappear on October 9. P&D Construction owed SSNIT about 266 million cedis, while General Development Company owe about two billion cedis being debts accruing between periods of five months and one year respectively. Mr Wood-Ackom said this month alone, 13 other companies that owed SSNIT several billions of cedis had been dragged to court over similar offences and said the strategy was paying off. Mr George Blege, Sekondi-Takoradi Area Manager of SSNIT said the Trust would continue to employ lawful means to retrieve all monies owe it in respect of workers' contributions. 28 Sept. 06